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Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:16:10 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.86 Entrepreneurial lessons from the World Cup 2018https://first-class-leadership.com/3140-2/
Thu, 16 Aug 2018 05:30:14 +0000https://first-class-leadership.com/?p=3140Originally published on Thrive Global. Did 2018’s World Cup surprise you? Germany, Argentina, Spain and Portugal didn’t come far. France didn’t play well in all the games but won the Cup. The results surprised millions of soccer lovers. In this article, I will share SIX LESSONS Entrepreneurs can learn from this year’s World Cup: 1. Change […]

Did 2018’s World Cup surprise you? Germany, Argentina, Spain and Portugal didn’t come far. France didn’t play well in all the games but won the Cup. The results surprised millions of soccer lovers.

In this article, I will share SIX LESSONS Entrepreneurs can learn from this year’s World Cup:

1. Change is the fuel of survival

The only guarantee in a world of “snap-chat” moments is change. Winners are able to initiate change because they are smart enough to recognize a changing wind and follow its direction. Renowned teams such as The Netherlands and Italy did not evolve their soccer teams’ strategies. Consequently, they failed to qualify for the World Cup. Failing to change welcomes failure. In business, the same rules apply: If you resist the inevitable, you are destined to perish. Kodak was once a pioneer in the age of digital cameras but could not cope with the rapid flow of change.

2. Humility is the key to greatness

The big winners of yesterday will be tomorrow’s losers if their leaders do not learn new algorithms to grow to the next level. The movie giant Blockbuster comes to mind: their business model lost out to new comers for not refreshing its strategy and preparing for competition. Start-ups founded in a basement five to ten years ago, like Uber and Air BnB, are now powerful, multibillion dollar businesses.

3. Effective teams make the difference

In my new book, “First-Class Leadership,” I demonstrate how highly effective teams are built. These teams do not necessarily have elite players. Nor are they too dependent on such individuals when they have them. In fact, depending too much on an elite player may be a gamble and does not guarantee success. Argentina depended too much on Lionel Messi during this year’s World Cup. France bested Argentina 4-3 in the quarter finals. All teams can learn from Belgium and France, even when Belgium came third.

As an entrepreneur and author, I believe that highly effective teams get better results than individual stars do. If you are an entrepreneur and want to make it to the next round, you do not need to rely on individual stars but rather a team of players with complementary skills and who desire to function as a team.

4. Test your strategies, even on the top

Past success is not a predictor of future results. The big losers are often those who do not evolve their success strategies and stay with the old playbook despite an advancing game. This was the case with the German team. Joachim Löw, the German Coach, tested his strategy. While his team did not book convincing results during friendly matches prior to the World Cup, he did not evolve his team to be competitive in the Cup. Blackberry is a comparable example. The tech company that wowed the world in the mid-2000s stayed too long with its “qwerty keyboard.” Apple’s and Samsung’s smartphones embraced a new approach in software and touch screen technology and soon eclipsed Blackberry’s aging approach.

5. Fear of failure can be paralyzing

Teams aspire to grow to a level where they can beat their competition. The truth is that the competition grows as well. If a top team fails to embrace change and evolve, the upcoming teams who do evolve become tomorrow’s threats. Fear of failure can lead to failure. Some sport coaches believe in the adage, “Never change your winning team.” Perhaps Löw and the Argentinian soccer coach, Sampaoli belong to this category. New situations require new approaches.

Fear of failure keeps entrepreneurs hostage. A fear of failure sounds like, “What if I fail and lose everything?” It is important to remember that indecision is more destructive than making poor decisions!

6. Always conduct a reality check

As I’ve covered in my new book First-Class Leadership, the first principle that many great entrepreneurs apply in new situations is conducting a reality check – instead of thinking, guessing and assuming. By checking we consider that we may not know everything and may need to verify facts.

Conclusion

Today’s world of entrepreneurship is a gladiatorial arena. Every battle in business is won using “fit-for-purpose” tactics. Your adversary may not care about who you are or what your reputation is. To prove your merit, employ a forward-looking, evolutionary strategy to win the day. On guard!

]]>10 Tips to get the most out of your vacationhttps://first-class-leadership.com/10-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-vacation/
Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:20:34 +0000https://first-class-leadership.com/?p=2560Every year I see lots of people getting stressed out about the work they have to do before, during and after their vacation. In this short article I want to share my top 10 tips with you for getting the most out of your vacation. 1. Plan ahead Many people claim their jobs do not […]

Every year I see lots of people getting stressed out about the work they have to do before, during and after their vacation. In this short article I want to share my top 10 tips with you for getting the most out of your vacation.

1. Plan ahead

Many people claim their jobs do not allow them to do so. However, there are many advantages to planning ahead, including lower prices, greater choice and far less stress closer to the actual vacation itself. If you were to agree with your boss/team that you’re going to have 3 weeks off in 6 months from now, no reasonable person would blame you for planning such a long vacation. In fact, they would probably admire your discipline.

2. Pass the ball on to others before you leave

Everybody likes to make sure that it is business as usual while they are off on a well-deserved vacation. To make sure it does, you need to make a list of everything you have to do before you leave. Make sure you do not park any important activities until you get back. Take appropriate action and pass the ball on to others before you leave.

3. Don’t take on too much work close to your departure and immediately after your return

Do not take on any new assignments you cannot complete before your vacation. Block some time in your calendar to take care of any unfinished business. Do not schedule any important meetings that require preparation immediately after your vacation. Spend the first couple of days after your return following up on things and preparing important meetings.

4. Tell important partners/contacts that you are going to be away on vacation

There are many advantages to doing so. It is the professional thing to do. It shows respect and provides clarity while managing expectations. It hopefully means that people will only contact you when absolutely necessary and will leave everything else that can wait until after you get back.

5. Activate an out of office reply

Create an automatic out of office reply which includes information such as who to contact in urgent cases and when you are going to be back. Don’t forget to discuss this with the people you mention in your of out of office reply! Stay committed to your out of office reply. Be consistent and do not reply to emails during your vacation. If you break your own rule this might confuse the sender. Is he/she at work or on vacation?

6. Book preferably 3-4 weeks

From personal experience I know it can be scary to be away from your daily routine, jobs, friends, etc. for such a long time. There are many advantages to booking a long vacation as not everybody finds it easy to switch off and most of us need at least a couple of days to do so. On top of that a 3-4 week vacation tends to be less expensive than 2-3 separate ones.

7. Switch off your work related devices during your vacation

Leave your work smartphone at home during your vacation! You may say, are you nuts? How can I? Trust me, it is possible. I do it almost every year and I recommend the same to all professionals I work with. Just give it a try and experience how it feels.

8. Don’t work during your vacation

Do yourself and your colleagues, incl. your boss, a huge favor: don’t work during your vacation. Personally, I don’t see any advantages to working during your vacation. The message it sends to your network is that you are not in control, that you are disorganized, insecure, and lack self-respect and self-confidence. A few like-minded people may admire your commitment. However, because you feel obliged to act you might become irritated and emotional. It might lead to you sending out mixed messages, which could be costly for your image and position. If you are good at your job, your colleagues and boss will realize how precious you are for the company. You can make this tangible by not working during your vacation.

9. Make a note of brilliant ideas

Psychologists claim that some 60,000-70,000 thoughts and ideas come to our mind every day. One or two of these might be brilliant. If you feel that you have a good idea, write it down on a piece of paper or make a note of it on your mobile device, so that you can work on it after your vacation.

10. Do not consider yourself more important than you are

OK I admit, there are exceptions. There are things that need to be taken care of at the highest political level. But don’t worry, there is good news. You’re neither the president of United States nor the leader of North Korea. I have lived in the Netherlands for over 17 years. In that time not many governments have stayed on for the 4 full year term. That’s not great and we pay the price for discontinuity, but it’s no big deal. It’s business as usual for the majority of us. The lesson I take from this is that everybody is replaceable. So, enjoy your vacation!

Best known for mentoring on leadership and personal development, Hamid Safaei is a bestselling author and certified executive coach who helps leaders, senior managers, and budding entrepreneurs multiply their results. Hamid is passionate about helping both individuals and teams to always be at their best. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies. His passion is to create a better world by and with better leaders.

]]>How to take a solution-oriented approach to resolving problemshttps://first-class-leadership.com/how-to-take-a-solution-oriented-approach-to-resolving-problems/
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:33:18 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=1008 Employees expect leaders to solve problems both big and small. But a leader’s attention will be focused on issues of significance (financial crises, unexpected mergers, and acquisitions), which means medium-sized problems are often put aside, to return later with a vengeance! As Noble Peace Prize winner and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger […]

Employees expect leaders to solve problems both big and small. But a leader’s attention will be focused on issues of significance (financial crises, unexpected mergers, and acquisitions), which means medium-sized problems are often put aside, to return later with a vengeance! As Noble Peace Prize winner and former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said, “All too frequently a problem evaded is a crisis invited”.

Great leaders don’t play the blame game. Instead they use a “solution-oriented” approach to resolve problems.

They use the why lens. Highly respected leaders only solve problems within their control. Ones connected to their biggest why. They consider problems from a fundamental point of view.
They ask:
• Is this our problem?
• Why should we solve this problem?
• What happens if we don’t?
• How would the solution contribute to accomplishing our most important goals?
Once they have answers, they explore solutions. Around 2013- personally experienced- Royal Philips in Amsterdam noticed the lighting market was stagnating. CEO Frans van Houten asked those types of questions. Armed with the answers, he concluded it would not make sense for Philips to continue with lighting. Philips now focuses on healthcare technology. By approaching problems through the why lens, van Houten was able to change the direction of the company and keep it operable. A clear benefit of applying solution-oriented problem solving.

They are inspired by problems. Without problems, a business will lose its fire, passion, and dynamism. While many leaders perceive problems as distracters, first-class leaders embrace problems as opportunities to make breakthroughs. Leaders know that if they are unable to solve the problem their competitors will, pushing them out of the market.
Problems fuel great leaders, providing opportunities to learn and grow to the next level. Great leaders don’t say, “Why me?” or “Why now?”. They say, “Try me” or “Let’s make the most of it.”. The greater the problem, the hungrier they are for a solution. Leaders like Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Bill Gates view problems as golden opportunities to disrupt the market and revolutionize the customer experience.

They openly admit there is a problem. Great leaders acknowledge there is a problem and demonstrate the severity of the problem and the benefit of the solution to stakeholders, partners, and shareholders. By establishing an open environment, great leaders avoid creating silos. This way, the leader not only takes responsibility for making the problem transparent, they explore different dimensions of the problem, consequently benefiting from others’ ideas.

They separate problems from people. Great leaders keep asking questions until they understand the issue. A clear understanding of a problem delivers two-thirds of the solution. When people attribute blame, highly qualified leaders focus on the problem at hand, keeping emotions controlled. By doing so, they can approach the situation fairly and find a suitable solution.

They have a plan. Great leaders do not guess. They identify the core of the problem, forecast scenarios, and produce backup plans before formulating and sharing with stakeholders. This creates the trust and commitment necessary for implementation. They assess actions and adjust whenever necessary. By analyzing, they focus on the easiest implementation route and work around any blocks standing in the way.
Top leaders make sure their organization stands steady when in crisis. They create a thorough problem-solving process. Great leaders avoid panic at all costs. They remain cool and retain a sense of humor. They know if they panic, their team members will lose hope and motivation.

They engage those affected by the problem. Those who have a stake in the problem and the relevant solution often know the most. Solution-oriented leaders listen to the needs and concerns of all involved parties. When respected by the majority, leaders have buy-in and are able to focus on solutions. This caring attitude helps them build great relationships. When the relationship is good, people are prepared to walk that extra mile for their leaders.
Great leaders create an environment where team members can freely share their views without feeling insecure about their position. It is the leader’s responsibility to guarantee freedom to speak up without fear of negative consequences.

They don’t point fingers. Great leaders know that finger pointing does not solve problems. It only adds new ones. It makes employees singled out feel broken, guilty, and belittled. Instead of blaming anyone, the leader starts problem solving by narrowing down the issue. When the problem has been addressed, and potentially solved, they ask their team members what they learned from the experience and how they can improve vulnerable areas.

Now examine how you approach problems. What are the first things you do when you encounter a severe problem? What can you take away from the above to ensure your future approach to problem solving is more solution-oriented?

What do you think?
Would you agree or disagree with the above? Please share your thoughts and let’s learn from the way you approach your problems. Thank you!

Best known for mentoring on leadership and personal development, Hamid Safaei is a bestselling author and certified executive coach who helps leaders, senior managers, and budding entrepreneurs overcome their fears: Fear of being found to be incompetent, fear of failure, fear of losing everything, fear of losing beloved ones, and so on.

Hamid is passionate about helping both individuals and teams to always be at their best. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies. His passion is to create a better world by and with better leaders.

]]>You lead based on your attitude: the way you approach your peoplehttps://first-class-leadership.com/great-leaders-have-purpose/
Wed, 31 Jan 2018 12:05:52 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=982 Attitude is a choice The New Oxford American Dictionary defines attitude as “a settled way of thinking or feeling about something.” This is pretty much how I define attitude. It is a conscious choice. Based on our attitude, we decide how to approach people and situations. We choose our attitude based on our knowledge, […]

Attitude is a choice
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines attitude as “a settled way of thinking or feeling about something.” This is pretty much how I define attitude. It is a conscious choice. Based on our attitude, we decide how to approach people and situations. We choose our attitude based on our knowledge, calculations, wisdom, situations, actions, reactions, and our experiences.
Attitude is simply how we look at life and the world around us. Do you see life as something meaningful, full of joy, excitement, and challenges? Or do you see life as something pointless without a happy ending? I have always said your life is how you approach it. If you approach your life as difficult, it becomes difficult, if you take life easy, it becomes easy. The same applies for leaders when they look at their organization, employees, environment, and their future.

The way you approach your people, your environment, your partners, and circumstances is the way you lead.
Leaders who have hope and an enduring vision behave and perform purposefully, and because leadership is all about people, how leaders approach their people is crucial. How about you? Do you see your employees as replaceable machines? Do you see them as money suckers? Or do you view them as team mates with whom you can achieve breakthrough results? The way you approach your people, your environment, your partners, and circumstances is the way you lead. Remember, your attitude is your choice and yours alone.
We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how to react to it.

Viktor Frankl, the famous Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, said, “The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedom is to choose one’s attitude in any given circumstance”. This attitude enabled Frankl to survive the concentration camp and teach us something precious, which is that everything can be taken away from us (positions, properties, wealth, and loved ones), but our attitude can never be taken because we can choose not to allow that. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how to react to it.

Great leaders learn to lead themselves before leading anyone or anything else.
How one treats people or situations is a choice, which means we can change it to get the best possible results. William James, a respected American psychologist, said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes”. This is exactly what first-class leaders do. Highly qualified leaders know that the foundation of leadership is learning to adjust their attitude; they learn to lead themselves before leading anyone or anything else.

Great leaders have mastered certain attitudes to approach people around them, their environment and circumstances. Using positivity, purposefulness, and flexibility, they approach actual trends to get the best out of them for their business. They know they cannot resist or change the inevitable, only how they deal with it. Author Charles Swindoll said it best: “We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. … I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it”.
A leader’s attitude has a lot to do with how they approach developments, think, implement strategies, hire new talents, and face challenges. First-class leaders have the capabilities to survive challenges and make breakthroughs because of their attitude. Attitude has a huge impact.

In chapter two of my recently released book First-Class Leadership I have explored the Common Attitudes of First-Class Leaders that are as follows:

A moment of reflection
Take a moment of silence and reflect on your attitude.
· Do you see your life as one of purpose?
· Do you happen to things or do things happen to you?
· Do you consider yourself as an ultimate risk taker or a safe player?
· Do you have balance in your life? Do you do what really matters most? If not, do you know why?
Remember, nothing will ever change in your life or business unless you create the environment to change.

What do you think?
Would you agree or disagree with the above? Please share your thoughts and let’s learn from the way you approach your people (they way you lead). Thank you!

The above blog is an adjusted excerpt from First-Class Leadership book that is available via all major book sellers such as Amazon, Google Books, Managementboek.nl, Bol.com, author’s website, and many local bookstores.
—————————————————-About the authorBest known for mentoring on leadership, personal development, and conflict resolution, Hamid Safaei is a certified executive coach who helps leaders, senior managers, and budding entrepreneurs discover and cultivate their potential. He has penned two books: First-Class Leadership and Your Journey to Fulfillment. Hamid is passionate about helping both individuals and teams to always be at their best. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies. He has developed ImOcean Academy, a unique institute where he applies first-class coaching tools and techniques combined with best practices.

]]>Select your future leaders as eagles dohttps://first-class-leadership.com/select-your-future-leaders-as-eagles-do/
Mon, 08 Jan 2018 15:17:29 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=937In an effective team, all members can achieve more than they could on their own, so put your best employees in strategic positions, so they can uplift each other when necessary. Some leaders, caught by their emotions, put incompetent relatives or people they care about in leading and strategic positions, which ruins their vision and […]

]]>In an effective team, all members can achieve more than they could on their own, so put your best employees in strategic positions, so they can uplift each other when necessary. Some leaders, caught by their emotions, put incompetent relatives or people they care about in leading and strategic positions, which ruins their vision and their company. There are many ways to take care of people you hold dear. You need to make hard choices by giving space to the best performing employees to move forward, regardless of their background.

This is where we can learn from eagles. As the eagle’s young get older, competition for food becomes tougher, space in the nest becomes scarcer, and the strongest chicks often kill or kick out the weaker ones. The mother does nothing to stop this because she knows that she can’t feed them all until they are able to feed themselves, she knows that the nest is not big enough for all of them, and she wants the strongest to survive.

There is profound leadership logic in this rule of nature. What happens if the mother interferes and doesn’t let the strongest claim its ground? All of them may go hungry, and none of the chicks may survive. The lesson I take from this is not about being mean, heartless, and watching unfair things unfold. It means that you cannot feed and save them all. You cannot afford to have unproductive, weak employees on board, your future leaders need to be strong and carry the organization forward.

]]>8 simple steps to achieve your goals this yearhttps://first-class-leadership.com/8-simple-steps-to-achieve-your-goals-this-year/
Wed, 03 Jan 2018 20:00:02 +0000https://first-class-leadership.com/?p=2575Every year many clients come to me with fascinating goals such as multiplying their income or starting their own business. “What’s the plan?”, I ask. “It’s in my head and I’m hoping you’ll help me figure it out.”, they often answer. Here are 8 steps you can take on your own to achieve your goals […]

Every year many clients come to me with fascinating goals such as multiplying their income or starting their own business. “What’s the plan?”, I ask. “It’s in my head and I’m hoping you’ll help me figure it out.”, they often answer. Here are 8 steps you can take on your own to achieve your goals this year.

1. Promote your dream into a goal

Dreams remain dreams if we don’t take certain steps. Your journey starts when you put a date on your dream. For example, “By 31 July 2018, I will have opened my Bed & Breakfast in Amsterdam.” When you do this you create a destination. Now you need a ticket to get there.

2. Imagine you have achieved your goal

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine you are celebrating your success. It feels amazing, doesn’t it? Now tell yourself that whatever another human being has done in the past has proven to be possible. So, you can do it too. Why not? Give it a go and see how the power of imagination fuels your energy. When you imagine something is possible you are no longer stuck in the circle of impossibility, instead you enter a gear up mood.

3. Make every day count

Get up early at the same time each morning. I get up at 6.00 am every day including weekends. This gives me a disciplined structure. Every day that goes by means you have one day less to achieve your goal. So, make sure every day counts. Each morning write your goal on paper noting the most important thing you’re going to achieve that day. Remember, what we achieve at the end of the year is the sum of bits and bytes we have achieved every day.
What we achieve at the end of the year is the sum of bits and bytes we have achieved every day.

4. Set mini-goals followed by actions

Imagine your goal is to lose 30 pounds by the end of October 2018. Every time you think about 30 pounds it probably seems overwhelming. How on earth am I going to lose 30 pounds? Instead of asking “How?”, focus on your very first mini-goal. How would you feel if you aimed to lose one pound by the end of every week starting next week? It seems doable, doesn’t it? Now write down the easiest actions which will help you lose one pound by the end of this week. For example, “Starting tomorrow, I will exercise 30 minutes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.” You might not be able to swallow a whole cow like an Anaconda can but you can enjoy a well-prepared steak (that is if you’re not vegetarian).

5. Track your progress

Keep track of your progress digitally or on paper. Imagine that you’re thinking about starting your B&B in Amsterdam. Give it a name. When you name it you connect to it. Call it, for example, Dream Bed & Breakfast. Voila! Next register your domain name on the web. If you can’t do it online, make an appointment with the relevant authorities (e.g. Chamber of Commerce) to register your business. Now tick off what you have done already. See how motivating it is?

6. Beware of limiting beliefs

An enemy that often gets in the way of our dreams, is our own limiting beliefs. “I can’t”, “I’m not good enough.”, “What if I failed?” and many more limiting beliefs come to our minds unbidden. Challenge your limiting beliefs by asking questions. “How can I be certain I will fail when I haven’t even tried it yet?” “What evidence do I have that I’m not good enough?”
An enemy that often gets in the way of our dreams, is our own limiting beliefs.

7. Turn “I can’t” into “How can I?”

“I can’t” is one of the fake havens we create for ourselves to hide away from taking action. Change this limiting phrase into “How can I?” This simple transformation moves you from a passive to a resourceful state. You become creative and think of things such as what actions you can take, and who can help you. All of a sudden you hear yourself saying: “I’ll follow that great advice my grandma gave me.”

8. Never feel too big for your boots

Many successful leaders – presidents, top performers and entrepreneurs – have had mentors and coaches. Bill Clinton, Andre Agassi, and Serena Williams for example. Richard Branson says: “I talk elsewhere about how much the late Sir Freddie Laker’s mentoring did for me with Virgin Atlantic and how greatly his down-to-earth wisdom accrued to my entire approach to business.” When you feel stuck pick up your phone and call a qualified coach. Many of them offer the first consultation for free.
Start today and take the first step of your journey. Before you know it, you will have reached your destination.

Please share if you care
If you liked what you read, would you please share this with your network? This short article may give them that little push they need to make their breakthroughs!

#Personal Development, #Goal-setting, #Leadership
—————————————————-About the authorBest known for mentoring on leadership, personal development, and conflict resolution, Hamid Safaei is a certified executive coach who helps leaders, senior managers, and budding entrepreneurs discover and cultivate their potential. He has penned two books: First-Class Leadership and Your Journey to Fulfillment. Hamid is passionate about helping both individuals and teams to always be at their best. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies. He has developed ImOcean Academy, a unique institute where he applies first-class coaching tools and techniques combined with best practices.

]]>The rise of populism survival of the fittesthttps://first-class-leadership.com/the-rise-of-populism-survival-of-the-fittest/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:29:48 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=340The rise of populism survival of the fittest Many are still staggered by the fact that Britons chose to leave the EU. And why was Donald Trump elected as the 45th president of the United States? The endorsements of the elite, and celebrities like Richard Branson, appear to have had no significant effect on the crowd. As the author of the […]

As the author of the upcoming book First-Class Leadership, I looked to leadership psychology to understand the reasons behind this. If you influence others to do what you want, you are a leader. John Maxwell also said, “Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” The populist leaders such as Nigel Farage, Donald Trump, Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen know how to exert influence. In this article, I focus on several leadership aspects which populist leaders exploit effectively.

Effective communication

Effective communication may be the most important qualification criterion an effective leader should meet. Populists communicate more simply using tangible topics, which address the daily needs and issues ordinary people struggle with. They maximise the use of social media and IT giants, such as Facebook and Google, to connect with their audience. And when you are connected, you exert more influence. Populists tell their target population exactly what they want to hear.

Focusing on what is not working

Populists exploit subjects which are important to their target population, such as jobs, effects of globalisation, and national security. Current leaders, however, seem to be unable to provide understandable answers to counter the populists’ claims. For example, the UK Remain Campaign failed miserably when it came to selling the reasons why Britain should remain in the EU.

Light legacy

As a political leader with history, you make both friends and enemies. Media exposure during the elections is one of the easiest ways to ruin the life of a political leader. All you need to do is publish a damaging rumour which is at least partially true. Follow this with another rumour, which again has an element of truth. The negative publicity generated leads the crowd to start believing there is something wrong with this leader. Take Hillary Clinton and the news about her emails as an example. Unlike well-known leaders with their accompanying history, populists are not burdened by a significant legacy. They do not have as many enemies either. This gives populists the advantage of being able to focus on their own agenda, while the leaders with legacy also need to defend and restore their image.

Focusing on now

Populists cleverly address the most obvious pains the crowd suffers. They focus on the lower tiers of the human needs’ hierarchy as Abraham Maslow addressed in 1943-1954 (physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, self-actualisation and self-transcendence). Focusing on the basic needs (i.e. food, safety, and jobs) pays off when memories of an economic crisis are still fresh. Focusing on the upper tiers of human needs – the focus point of the political elite – works best when most of the target population is unconcerned with basic needs.

Strategically chosen target population

When designing their election campaign, populists home in on the biggest and easiest to manipulate portion of the population. Most Western countries, particularly in Europe, are aging. A percentage of the aging generation is not as skilled as the younger one. They have worked for 30 plus years doing almost the same thing and have limited options. This – eligible to vote – group is worried about their jobs, pensions and (health)insurance. They feel neither heard nor understood by the political elite. Therefore, they tend to be attracted to the populists who say what the aging population wants to hear about job security, halting immigration, and increasing national security. In June 2016, a majority of Britons aged over 45 voted to leave the EU, rising to 60% of those aged 65 or over. The political elite appear to be disconnected from the aging generation.

Overestimate: a huge mistake for a leader to make

In February 2016, David Cameron, former prime minster of the UK, called for a referendum (which took place on 23 June 2016) about whether Britain should remain in the EU. Brexit was the result. Matteo Renzi, who recently stepped down as Italian prime minister, personalised the constitutional referendum (which took place on 4 December 2016) in Italy by threating to resign if the public voted ‘No’. The majority voted ‘No’. Most recently President Obama personalised his support for Hillary Clinton. He lost too. While the elite overestimate their position in society, populists underestimate themselves; the risks of which are often less than overestimation.

Influence by fear

Leading by fear is what populists do well. By focusing on matters such as immigration and globalisation they instil fear: of becoming jobless and feeling unsafe in your own home. Surprisingly, populists often have no sound plans about how they would fix issues. Astonishingly, nor do the crowd ask for these. They just like what they hear. It was clear right after the referendum that Brexiteers had no idea how to proceed. Donald Trump created a lot of fear. Moreover, he did not offer any concrete plans for how he would actualise his ideas. The elite has failed to manage the fear created by populists both in the UK and the US.

Speaking like the crowd

Unlike the political elite who tend to dress, behave and talk intelligently, populist leaders behave and talk like ordinary people. The psychological impact of this is evident as shown by Robert Cialdini in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. Your prospects are more likely to comply with your request if you speak their language. Instead of relying on intelligence and political correctness, populists choose to talk in simple, bold, unfiltered and easy to understand terms, which is language that speaks to the majority.

Conclusion

The populists are warming up to win the battlefield in the Netherlands, France and Germany in 2017. If the elite leaders remain disconnected from the aging crowd, we will surely see a continued rise in populism, an undesirable chapter in modern democracy. It is the survival of the fittest.

About the author

Hamid Safaei is the author of the upcoming book First Class leadership. He is the founder of ImOcean Academy. Hamid is a qualified executive coach helping executives and budding entrepreneurs make breakthroughs. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies.

]]>What your children needhttps://first-class-leadership.com/what-your-children-need/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:25:18 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=337What your children need is not what you think Some parents, particularly men, try to compensate for their shortcomings by trying to offer the best life they think their children can have. This category of leaders devotes their life to creating wealth for their children. They choose to travel for business, leaving their vulnerable children […]

Some parents, particularly men, try to compensate for their shortcomings by trying to offer the best life they think their children can have. This category of leaders devotes their life to creating wealth for their children. They choose to travel for business, leaving their vulnerable children and partners behind at home. They think being a good provider means creating as much wealth as possible for “later”, which may never come.

The missing point

The point many of them miss is that their young children do not want a luxury vacation, car, or house. What they most need at a young age is love and a caring parent who plays with them. They don’t care where the toys come from. They care about who keeps them company, plays with them, and makes them laugh. They want to see their mom/dad among those waiting at the school pick up.

Don’t think, check instead

Some leaders assume their absence is acceptable as they believe they are doing the right thing for their children. This is something they may never have checked. Don’t think on behalf of anyone, check instead. When children are grown, they often prefer to live on their own, make something of their lives, and acquire their place in society.

You leave your children when they need you most, to come back when they don’t need you.

In fact, your interference at a later age may even interrupt their resourcefulness, creativity, and their own inner purpose.

Learn from the rule of nature

It doesn’t have to be black or white. Creative leaders can pursue an amazing career fueled by a lovely family sphere. Based on the unquestionable rule of nature, all superior species like lions, jaguars, and eagles return to their nest or basecamp after every adventure. They instinctively know any unnecessary delay can be fatal. They are excellent executers of first things first and so they create their nest first. This gives them the peace of mind and mindfulness they need to set their breakthrough strategies. It’s called family first! When you have to choose, reconnect with your biggest why, your inner purpose. If you do so, the rest will fall into place easily.

In my upcoming book First-Class Leadership (to be released in September 2017), I reveal breakthrough strategies to create better balance in your life.

What would you say to that? Please share your thoughts.

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About the author

Hamid Safaei is the author of Your Journey to Fulfillment and the upcoming book First Class leadership. He is the founder of ImOcean Academy. Hamid is a qualified executive coach helping executives and budding entrepreneurs make breakthroughs. He has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies.

]]>Stress? Try These Tipshttps://first-class-leadership.com/stress-try-these-tips/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:23:56 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=334“How are you doing today?” you may ask a friend or colleague. “I’m good thanks for asking, yourself?” say, some. “Very busy nowadays” say, many others. “Busy” may be one of the most heard words in the corporate world. Do you agree? And why is that? If you feel you are a busy person, have […]

“How are you doing today?” you may ask a friend or colleague. “I’m good thanks for asking, yourself?” say, some. “Very busy nowadays” say, many others. “Busy” may be one of the most heard words in the corporate world. Do you agree? And why is that? If you feel you are a busy person, have you ever asked yourself, why? Have you ever asked yourself how to manage your time and work pressure? I have been in the same shoes. And I am blast I have helped myself and many individuals with solving and dealing with work pressure. Read the following hints.

First of all, take care of yourself

If you don’t nobody else may take care of you. Learn from the metaphoric security instructions prior to flights. The hosts say, if there is oxygen problem put your own mask first and then that of your baby. I believe this is a very well thought philosophy. If you cannot breathe well yourself, you simply cannot help anybody else with breathing. So, take care of yourself. Start with eating healthy and proper rest.

Be proactive to avoid work pressure

Being proactive is one of most appreciated behavioral codes in the corporate world. When being proactive you initiate often your desired projects. You schedule the meetings yourself or you give instruction to your PA to do so. Believe it or not when you take initiative, you plan as it best suits you. For example, you take into account when you have plans for holidays or when you have a busier schedule. And so you can manage your work pressure. Therefore, be the first who offers options for a meeting. In this case you offer options that work the best for you. If you receive several options from others, the unwritten rule is, accept one unless you really can’t. There is a difference between what we can do and what we want to. Do you agree?

Get clarity

Clarity is one of the most important factors impacting performance, research has proven. Make sure it is clear for you what you are expected to do. Don’t you understand an assignment, then go to the right person and ask for clarity. How often has the following happened to you? You have done your very best but the results are not as expected. Why is that? In many cases because a clear common understanding of the assignment and the deliverable has been missing when accepting the assignment.

Have a plan

When you need to manage an initiative or finalize an assignment, make sure you have a well thought plan. How to start, where to start, what you need, how you can get what you need, and so on. When you have a plan, you set the plan as it best suits according to your professional judgement. When you don’t have a plan you will become a part of other man’s plan. Having no plans makes you often busier than you really want to be. You will be scheduled according to other ones’ plans which sometimes goes hand in hand with work pressure.

Learn to say No when No is the best

How often has it happened to you? An important stakeholder gives you a ring asking “would you please do this for me by the end of the week?” You reply, “yeah, sure”? Short after you realize having your schedule in mind it is mission impossible to get the assignment done as requested. You feel embarrassed getting back to the requester. As a result, you feel a kind of pressure which you have created yourself. When you can’t meet the expectation just simply say you can’t explaining the reason. Be creative and come with an alternative. For example, “yeah, I’d love to, but not earlier than late next week. Is that OK”?

Schedule to be unscheduled to avoid work pressure

Make sure you have some time every day which is your time and yours only. It is also called scheduling to be unscheduled. I call it breathing time. Leave some 10-15 minutes between your meetings to act mindfully. Even robots need to be unscheduled from time to time. Block some time in your agenda to work as you want to, without pressure and at your speed. You can devote these blocks to matters which need your focus, your brainstorm. Use a part of your unscheduled time to clear up your head, to take a walk, to focus and to practice mindfulness.

Go to the bathroom often, without your smartphone

Go a few times to the bathroom every day and leave your smartphone behind if it is save to do so. If you take your smartphone with you do not start reading your emails and sending text messages while being in bathroom. Bathroom time can also be used as a moment to give your mind a break.

Don’t do the work someone else is hired for

Should I be doing this? is a healthy question. Of course we all have been helped by others someday. So we are supposed to help others when we can. When others (colleagues or reporters) need your help frequently, have them learn how to fish, instead of giving them the fish every time. Help the colleagues learn to do the work instead of doing the work for them. Hire a coach to help them how to use their potential. Do not be a control freak, focus on results and let your reporters work as they want to as long as the delivery is according to the plan and the company codes. Use the coaching and selling styles instead of commanding.

Skip unnecessary meetings to reduce work pressure

How many meetings have you joined which are actually not meant for you? Why am I actually here, what is my role, you may ask yourself. Skip the meetings which are not meant for you. I know a partner from McKinsey. When receiving invitations by which any bell rings, he always asks kindly “Hi there, happy to meet, would you please let me know what we would be talking about? I’d like to get prepared” When not sure just ask: what is the purpose of the meeting?

Read and answer your mails in one go

I spoke with one of my executive clients who received around 500 business emails per day, excluding text messages. He said he considered two slots per day in his agenda to read and answer his emails. He quickly scans his emails on several criteria i.e. subject, urgency, VIP sender and relevance. He forwards the emails to his team members based on subject matter, with the request “would you please pick this up” or “I guess this is for you”. Personally, I put my CCs in a separate box and read them 3x times a week. If I am the person to act, then I take action accordingly. Make sure you do not open several emails simultaneously unless they are interconnected. Sometimes you get involved in an escalation or exiting discussion. Then you close your mailbox and forget to read and answer the read mails again. As result you will receive embarrassing reminders and so work pressure and stress.

When you are free stay free

Manage your work during your work time so that you don’t have to work during your free time. Read another post of mine, 10 tips to enjoy your vacation. When you work during your free time, you cannot rest properly, you cannot spend enough quality time with your beloved ones. As a matter of fact, you may mix up your work and private life. The issues on either side impact the other. After a short while you feel a kind of huge pressure and stressful time. When you are stressful and under pressure, you cannot perform as you want to, or supposed to. So, work pressure and stress become more and more and so will the private part. As a result, the work pressure and stress may lead to a burnout.

Find out critical success factors

Not everything matters and you cannot be doing things out of which nothing matters. When you have many things on your plate, create a common understanding with your sponsors and stakeholders what is important and what isn’t. Get clarity on the key success factors. Focus on the 20% of the activities or initiatives which represent 80% of your performance or success. Plan the other 20% during your spare time. Find out when the assignment is succeeded. Remember, there is a very tiny distance between success and failure. If the critical things are well taken care of, you will be successful. If the same things are not well taken care of, you will fail. For example, as a doctor, your operations are only successful when your patient survives. The survival of the patient is the most critical factor in the whole operation process.

Don’t think, but check

Do not keep doing things assuming all goes ok. Do not act all the time based on what you think. Check instead. Have several checkpoints to evaluate if you are on the right path. If there are important factors in your project, or assignment make sure you have absolute clarity on the important factors. You can only be sure of something when you test or check it.

Work smart, play smart

Instead of working hard and playing hard, work and play SMART. Make sure what you do is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time related. So you can’t spend endless time on endless initiatives without a clear road map and predefined deliverable. To me, playing smart means doing things we enjoy the most within the devoted resources (i.e. time and money). For example, you are going to visit Disney Land together with your partner and two kids. When you are watching a movie together with your 6 years old son, please turn off your cell-phone. Be there for your son and watch and enjoy watching so that your son enjoys your company. I spend 3 hours every day with my son (almost 3). Every evening we watch 3x cartoons together (one hour in total), and my son loves this quality time. When you have a conversation of an hour with your partner, don’t reply to the annoying messages coming from all kinds of apps. Be there with all your attention so that you have a fruitful conversation with your partner.

Develop and use your soft skills

Remember, research has proven almost 85% of what we have achieved, is thanks to our soft skills. I believe we have failed in many cases due to our shortcomings in soft skills. So refresh your soft skills such as communication, relationship management, listening and sensitivity. Just ask your stakeholders, your manager, your fellows what they appreciate the most and what you may avoid when engaged with them. Having proper soft skills reduces work pressure.

Let me learn from you

I am blast that I have many connections from whom I learn every day. Please let me learn from your comments and thoughts too.

Did you like the post? If yes, feel free to follow me by going to my LinkedIn page, click on Follow, the 3rd choice in the row.

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About the author

Hamid Safaei is the founder of ImOcean Academy. He is a qualified executive coach helping executives and high potentials unleash their potential. Hamid has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500.

]]>Leadership lessons to keep your head highhttps://first-class-leadership.com/leadership-lessons-to-keep-your-head-high/
Tue, 05 Sep 2017 12:20:39 +0000http://first-class-leadership.com/?p=329Former UEFA president, Michel Platini’s spectacular fall from grace brought to mind a few leadership lessons I’d like to share. We can learn a lot from those giants who believe their sun will never set. Following these tips would have helped them save their good name and keep their pride intact. 1. Treat others as you want to be treated […]

Former UEFA president, Michel Platini’s spectacular fall from grace brought to mind a few leadership lessons I’d like to share. We can learn a lot from those giants who believe their sun will never set. Following these tips would have helped them save their good name and keep their pride intact.

1. Treat others as you want to be treated

Be generous and merciful when you are in charge. Do not think it will remain as it is forever. Youngsters, smarter ones and those on the rise will replace you someday. Then you may find yourself being treated the way you treated others. If you were merciful to others, they will most likely be merciful to you. If you let others down, you might be let down by others.

As you ride someday, you may carry some other day. Be generous now. Tomorrow may be a different story, and not one in your favor.

2. Be a rebel from time to time

When you follow your boss blindly, you run the risk of making the same mistakes as the one you have followed. So it never hurts to question and rebel a little in order to shake things up and remain true to yourself. When considering offers I follow a very basic principle. I would not accept a great looking offer if it had the potential to make me unhappy. Over the past 20 years, I have disappointed several high ranked executives by saying no to their amazing offers. It may seem ill-advised or even rebellious. However, I have my own definition of happiness in which power and wealth are not high on the list of components.

Do yourself a favor and don’t follow others blindly.

3. Know when to step down

We’ve all experienced times in our lives during which we perform at our best. After a certain number of years, we will be done; having no more power, energy and up-to-date knowledge to lead our teams or organizations successfully. New challenges require new skills and new solutions. When we’re done we need to offer our place to the next generation voluntarily. If we don’t, it will be taken from us, harming our name and pride in the process. I admire people who voluntarily step down while at the top. When you do so you will be remembered as the hero, the powerful leader or the great world cup winning footballer.

When you continue until you make a terrible mistake (sometimes unconsciously) not only is your pride damaged, but you may also find yourself broken and psychologically bankrupt.

4. Top secrets may not be secure forever

We live in a time in which teenagers can hack highly secure systems and gain access to top secret information. In the course of time many secrets become public – planned and unplanned. Take for example the FIFA Scandals and the Panama Papers. There should be a good balance between risk and reward. Is the reward worth the risk? If you take the risk, bear in mind that it may become public someday. How bad would it be if your secret became public? If it became public, how great would the pain, shame and potential damage be? It’s worth thinking more than twice when taking risks. Remember, technology does not always work in our favor: instead of traditional trusted hard copies, almost everything is digital nowadays.

When something is digital, we can never be sure it is 100% secure.

5. Our children may suffer because of our actions

When I was 15 studying at high school, a schoolmate of mine lost his father in a bloody war between drugs dealers. In addition to this painful loss, the poor boy endured several miserable years as his schoolmates regularly brought up his family’s past. Remember, there is at least one guarantee in this life. We’ll all pass away when our time comes. No matter who we are, or how much power we have. In some cases, innocent children pay the price of unacceptable actions taken by their parents. If we are well-known and leave a bad name behind, it may create difficulties for our children.

6. A new kid on the block will always appear

Time is the one obvious limiting factor. We may have glorious days, weeks, months, or even years. But it’s a fact that the glorious time will not last forever. The better days or years are always counted. Great leaders create more years of glory for themselves, their people and their country. I am sure many of you remember Nokia and Blackberry; the kings of mobile phones some 10 years ago. The leaders of these companies really believed there wouldn’t be any competition. Nokia and Blackberry didn’t see it coming. They were enjoying their huge market share when Apple came along with the serial revolution of iPod, iPhone and iPad.

7. Watch for arrogance

Arrogance has long been the enemy of success. When people are on top, they see one success after the other. After a while, they get used to success and take it as a given. That’s when hubris creeps in. Their conceit may be so great they believe nothing can happen to them. They start to operate in a vacuum as if they are immune to everything. The moment a leader starts to believe nothing can happen to him, is the moment when it all begins to break down.

The biggest battle a leader should win should be the one with his own arrogance.

8. If it doesn’t feel OK, it is probably not OK

We’ve all been there. Things come along which don’t seem to be quite right. When we listen to our intuition it says don’t do that. In many cases if it doesn’t feel right it is indeed not right. Decisions that are ethically wrong, are being taken by some leaders every day. It will not remain sunny all the time. One day it may get cold. It may snow or rain heavily. You better be prepared. If you get an offer which seems too good to be true, find out what’s on the other side of the coin. If you accept an offer which may bring your integrity into question, do so with the knowledge that it may become public someday. If you believe you can live with the consequences, then accept the offer. But if you believe your reputation would be ruined if it becomes public, just don’t do it.

9. Never feel too big to ask for support

We’re human. Sometimes we’re mentally and physically at our best and sometimes we’re not making the best decisions. When you don’t feel comfortable about something, reach out for support; consult a trusted adviser or book a couple of sessions with a qualified coach. By enlisting the support of an adviser or coach, you’ll gain precious insights that will help you make better decisions.

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What do you think?

Do you agree with the above? Do you have anything you’d like to add? Please share your thoughts. Always appreciated.

Did you like this post? If so, follow me for more insights. You can follow me by going to my LinkedIn page, and clicking on Follow, the 3rd choice in the row.

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About the author

Hamid Safaei is the founder of ImOcean Academy. He is a qualified executive coach helping executives and budding entrepreneurs unleash their potential. Hamid has led successful business transformations for a number of Fortune Global 500 companies.